Interesting Facts About Berlin

Berlin as the capital of Germany sits at the heart of the European Continent. It is a very modern European city which had to be rebuilt after the carnage and ruination of the Second World War. Since its reunification as a city and as the heart of the German nation. Berlin has come to represent the spirit and industry of the new Germany.

The city of Berlin lies upon the River Spree and is a city which is young in comparison to its more established fellow German cities. It was made the capital of Germany after the 1871 Franco-Prussian War, which finally allowed Germany to form from the numerous German States that had existed since the Dark Ages of European history.

The City of Berlin's German Cathedral and Concert Hall. | Source

The German Parliament or "Reichstag" is located in Berlin. | Source

Surprisingly the city of Berlin had no great Historical links to previous great European cultures such as the Romans, Normans or the Vikings. Until the growth of the Prussian State in the seventeenth century, Berlin was little more than a relatively average walled city in the state of Brandenberg. When the Franco-Prussian War ended, Germany fulfilled its destiny and became a unified nation. Upon the coming together of the individual German States, Germany needed a capital and Berlin was chosen to represent the new nation as it was a city without overt links to other dominate states such as Prussia.

The Capital of Germany.

Berlin has been the capital of Germany on two separate occasions. It also lost the honour of been Germany's capital after the Second World War. Upon the creation of the German Empire in 1871, Berlin was the logical choice to be the capital of the reborn Germany. Berlin was close to the seat of Prussian power and Konigsberg was judged to be too Prussian. It was the German state of Prussia that wished to create a strong and powerful Germany. Upon the defeat of the German Empire in the Great War and the numerous revolutions. Berlin once again saw some of its prestige taken away by the Weimar Republic.

Although Berlin did not lose its status as capital of the nation, but it did seem as though a lot of the mechanisms of government shift to the cultural city of Weimar. This combined with the monarchy been abolished damaged the reputation of Germany's glorious first city. The rise to power of the Nazi party in 1933 lead to Berlin reclaiming much of its prestige back as the National Socialists embraced Berlin's Prussian militaristic heritage.

At the end of the Second World War, Germany and Berlin lay in ruins. Invaded by the Soviet Union and with the majority of its buildings flattened by Allied Bombing raids, Berlin represented how the German nation felt as a whole. By 1949 the Soviet influenced East Germany had made Eastern Berlin the Capital of the German Democratic Republic. The Western powers choose the relatively small city of Bonn as the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany.

With the reunification of Germany in 1990, Berlin was returned to its previous status as capital of a unified Germany. Interestingly Berlin does not possess the level of political buildings and departments you would usually see in a European Capital City. Much of the institutions of the State are spread around the major cities of Germany. For example, Frankfurt is the financial capital of Germany or Strausberg for the military centre.

The Brandenburg Gate at Night. | Source

The Brandenburg Gate

The old City Gate known as the Brandenburg Gate stands to the west of the city centre. The Gate is one of Berlin's most iconic landmarks and has stood in its current location since its completion in 1791. The Brandenburg Gate was commissioned by the Prussian King Frederick William II. The Brandenburg Gate was not actually part of the original walled town's defensive structure and was built purely as a symbol of Berlin's dedication to peace.

The Brandenburg Gate soon began to be known more for its connections with war and conquest, upon the increasingly aggressive policies of the German nation the Brandenburg Gate soon became a symbol of German expansionism. Originally the sculptures on the top of the gate centered around the theme of peace but after the Franco-Prussian war the centre piece was replaced with the Cross of Iron, a symbol adopted by the Nazi regime of the twentieth century.

The Nazi Regime utilized the imagery and status of the Brandenburg Gate for propaganda and militaristic ceremonies. The whole area around the Brandenburg Gate was part of Hitler and his architect's grand plan for a New Berlin, A Berlin that symbolised Germanic power. The Brandenburg Gate by the end of the Second World War had only just survived the carnage of the conflict. It would not be restored to its former glory until the start of the twenty first century, now it is the focal point for national celebrations and gatherings.

A City of Culture

Berlin has been a cultural and metropolitan city for hundreds of years, in 1841 a royal decree established Berlin as a bastion of culture and learning. The City of Berlin has over 150 museums within its city limits and even has an Island designated as " Museum Island ". For people who do not wish to spend all day looking at dusty books and ancient bones, there is the opportunity to visit buildings which encompass several different styles of building. There are remnants of the cities communist past with highly uniform urban planning or there are many new styles of modern ideas under construction, mixed with classic Germanic styles such as post-medieval Gothic.

Religion in Berlin

Despite Berlins cosmopolitan and cultural heritage, the city is remarkable atheist in its attitude towards religion. Berlin is possibly the most non-religious City in Europe in the attitudes of its citizens. In the majority of surveys commissioned into the social diversity of the city, over 60% of the general population has no belief in a higher power. Berlin is a city with a good mixture of faiths within its municiple boundaries. The remaining citizens of Berlin who are religious are divided into people belonging to either the Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Islamic and Buddhist faiths.

Have you ever visited Berlin?

The Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall was the physical manifestation of the ideological differences that both super powers clung to, after Hitler's evil regime was finally defeated. For nearly three decades the bricks and mortar divided the City of Berlin and ultimately the German nation. The wall was created to stop the East Germans under Soviet rule from passing into the Western Zone. The wall was constructed in 1961 and was finally dismantled in 1989. The first step towards reunification came after the citizens of both East and West Berlin were inspired by a relaxation in Cold War tensions.

Today some of the Berlin Wall is still on display as a monument to the German spirit and as a remembrance to those who died trying to link up with their families and friends on the other side. The Berlin Wall was there to stop the East Germans from escaping into the Western side of the city which was more prosperous than the eastern half. Every desertion to the "Capitalist" side was a blow to the integrity of the Socialist regime of the East.

The Berlin Wall came down because the East German government no longer had the backing of the Soviet Union's Red Army to reinforce their policies. So the people of Berlin took to the streets and the Berlin Wall and started to tear down the cities line of division and exclusion. To the sound of the Scorpion's " Wind of change " the Berlin Wall was smashed and the City of Berlin was made whole again.

Comments

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AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

Your very welcome, if you go I hope that you have a great time!

Best

6 years agofrom Of Angola

Thank you for sharing. This will probably be my next trip in Europe.

AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

Thank you, I have heard it is a vibrant and happening City!

Elias Zanetti

6 years agofrom Athens, Greece

Berlin's a very funky place! Great hub! Voted up & awesome! Cheers!

AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

Thank you Mike, appreciate the feedback. Researching the topic really made me want to visit the city.

Mike Robbers

6 years agofrom London

Great hub, Asp52! Well documented and very well written! Congratulations! Voted up, interesting & awesome!

AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

Indeed, It would seem that the scars from reunification run a little deeper than what is widely reported in Western Media. I did read somewhere that the Eastern parts of Germany lurched towards a more Far-right political stance after the fall of the wall. I suppose younger generations want "more" than the previous generations and as a result they rebelled against the standard socialist politics that dominated their parents existence. There is maybe a basis of an article here for you :)

Ghaelach

6 years ago

Me again Asp52.

Point taken.

The thing is (so I hear) that land in the east is so much cheaper, but so is the living standard.

It must be said that there are the old Ossie and the young Ossie, the old are to set in their ways that they had under Eric Honneker (Dictator of the DDR) and where to old to change their ways. Then there was the young that had had a sniff of what was going on in the outside world. When the wall came down they where allowed to travel outside of the DDR and Germany . There was a big world that they could explore where as before it was forebidden to travel. Many left Germany altogether.

The story is never ending.

LOL Ghaelach

AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

Good Morning Gaelach.

Very interesting point there, I have also read that a lot of West German people resented the influx of East Germans into their sphere of habitation. They feared a drop in the standard of living, less facilities and saddled with a bloated Leftist economy. As an outsider looking in at the time, I assumed it was a good world changing event but I do wonder about how "United" Germany truly is at times.

Best not provoke her Wrath or you'll have to build your own fence to protect yourself :)

Ghaelach

6 years ago

Morning Asp52.

Well written and researched, although I didn't expect anything else from a person with a history filled mind as yourself.

The problem is that what the historians have written, and the research you have found is not one hundred percent.

The truth is that if you ask the people from the former East Germany they will tell you that the Wessies are from the capitalised western world and what the saw when the wall was opened up for them wasn't very appealing. With their free 100 euro that each became from Helmut Kohl (Kanzler) bought electric goods and went back to the former East Germany.

The West German people where so grateful when the wall came down, that they where dancing for days on end to celebrate a unified Germany. They soon learned what the Ossies thought about the Wessies and after a number of years both sides (Wessies and Ossies) have one thing in common, and that is re-build the wall, but this time make it another two meters taller. The Ossies say it's to keep the Wessies out so they can live their quiet not so hectic life. The Wessies say it's to stop the Ossies from getting over the wall and bringing their communist way of life with them.

Me ! I'm a Brit and just get on with living my life with my lovely German Fraulein. Up's she'd belt me if she new I'd called her fraulein he,he,he.

AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

Your welcome Kalmiya Berlin is a City that continues to evolve and is in my opinion the City that reflects Germany.

AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

I was still in lower school when the wall came down but watching the events unfold I realized I was watching a true piece of history unfold before my eyes.

Kalmiya

6 years agofrom North America

Berlin is a very unique city with so much history and many changes. Thanks for the photos and the history on the Berlin Wall as well.

Eric Dierker

6 years agofrom Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A.

Oh the memories. My life for ever changed visiting that wall. No longer could I see "them" and "us" only we.

AUTHOR

Andrew Stewart

6 years agofrom England

It is on my to visit list once my Children are off to University!!

Matt Doran

6 years agofrom Manchester, UK

I love Berlin. Probably my favourite city in Europe. Great nightlife too!

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